1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to airboats, and more particularly to an improved airboat construction having a compact and lightweight configuration which allows the apparatus to function at high speeds, and yet remain stable and wherein the entire apparatus weighs less than 500 pounds so that a few individuals can lift it onto a trailer.
2. General Background
Air boats have been made for a number of years, and used both commercially and as pleasure craft in marsh and swamp areas, such as in the Florida Everglades and in the Louisiana marsh and swampland. Air boats typically include a hull with a seat that sits high above the hull and with a motor bracket support which carries an aircraft-type engine. Steering is performed by means of rudders which are mounted aft the aircraft engine and connected to a stick operable by the boat pilot. Typically, the engine faces rearwardly so that the propeller functions as a pusher.
Most conventional airboats are very large and substantial craft weighing thousands of pounds. These craft are necessarily heavy because of the use of aircraft engines and because of the stability which must be provided to prevent overturning during use.
The conventional, commercially available airboat normally utilizes an aircraft engine costing many thousands of dollars, in combination with a substantial hull and frame configuration. The price of an airboat is normally substantial, usually beyond the means of the average consumer.
Typically, very large aircraft engines create a tremendous amount of noise which renders them impractical for numerous sporting uses. For example, waterfowl hunters are prohibited in many situations from using airboats because of the noise problem. The game is so frightened by the noise generated by an aircraft engine that hunting can be poor or non-existent if airboats are used. Further, very large and heavy airboats can create an environmental impact because of destruction that they can impart to fragile wetlands because of their weight and size.
Thus, there is a need for a lightweight, compact yet stable airboat apparatus which can be made with a very small aircraft-type engine, minimizing the level of noise and thus impact upon the environment. Further, there is a need for a compact, lightweight yet stable airboat which can used by individuals and hunters for sporting purposes yet be stable enough to function at high speeds of forty miles per hour, for example, during turns, and when climbing over intermittently spaced land masses, such as levees, beaches and the like.